Raps continue to roll

Raptors forward Chris Bosh (right) goes hard to the hoop against Bulls centre Joakim Noah during the second quarter of yesterday's exciting 134-129 overtime victory. Bosh made a similar play when matched up against Noah in overtime to secure the Raptors victory and allow them to win their fourth game in a row. (Jack Boland/Sun Media)

Chris Bosh was in the exact position, only this time he began his move to the basket on the other side of the paint.

Once again, Joakim Noah provided the opposition in a game-defining moment.

Bosh would score on this occasion at a time when many fans of the Raptors must be wondering why the team suddenly has discovered its passion and purpose.

A season-high four-game win streak brings to mind many of the disheartening losses that have come to characterize this edition.

Bosh, for one, can't easily forget the missed opportunities, including the one that got away way back in January when Noah blocked Bosh's attempt from the left block that would have lifted the Raptors to a win.

"It was the same situation I was in,'' Bosh began yesterday in the wake of Toronto's pulsating 134-129 overtime win over the visiting Chicago Bulls.

"I was thinking about it right when the situation occurred. Coach (Jay Triano) was drawing up the play.

"I looked at the play, I looked at the score and I was thinking this was the same situation, except on the other side of the court. I just wanted to be aggressive. I wanted to get the ball off first and be aggressive. I got to the hole. I missed the shot, but I was able to tip it in."

Bosh's bucket, which provided the Raptors with their window of opportunity in the five-minute extra period, was symbolic on many fronts.

For Bosh, it was vindication for failing to come up in crunch time when matched up against Noah on Jan. 14.

For Triano, it was validation for an interim head coach who has done nothing to suggest he shouldn't be Toronto's full-time coach.

Despite a sub-par record, Triano knows how to make in-game changes and how to properly adjust to an opponent.

Yesterday's game, which took close to three hours to complete, was a wild ride full of offence and suspect defence.

The Raptors yielded 42 points in the fourth quarter after they gave up just 43 in the entire first half.

For Chicago, the 42 points represented a season-high

The Raptors, who led by as many as 18 points, didn't trail until the Bulls scored the first basket in overtime.

It was a flurry of three-point shooting and transition offence.

Defensively, it was far from clinical, but a clutch Shawn Marion block on Tyrus Thomas helped the Raptors' cause immeasurably .

The 134 points produced by the Raptors is a franchise high.

The Raptors made a season-high 52 field goals, while Jose Calderon tied a franchise-high for assists (19).

"It feels pretty good,'' Calderon said of the win and of the recent winning. "I think everybody is helping each other.

"It's sweet and sour a little bit because we are not that far from playing at the level of the other teams in the playoffs.

"We've had too many little things go wrong. It has been a tough season, but we have to keep working."

Take away a couple of bad possessions where Calderon looked indecisive and he played a near-perfect floor game.

"Can you play much better?'' Triano said when asked to break down Calderon's game. "Nineteen assists, a career-high for him, and 22 points.

"He had a nice mixture of sharing the basketball, distributing to his teammates. He just played very, very well and very solid."

It's just too bad the Raptors have waited this late to find their game.

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REPLAY

YESTERDAY AT THE ACC

TIES RECORD

Jose Calderon tied Damon Stoudamire's franchise record for most assists in a game with 19. Stoudamire established the mark in 1996 during a road game in Houston. Calderon also added 21 points to post his 18th double-double of the season.

BLOCK HEAD

Chicago's Tyrus Thomas produced a game-high four blocks, including three spectacular rejections. He twice swatted Andrea Bargnani and once rejected a Pops Mensah-Bonsu attempt by coming from the weak side.

FOUR THE RECORD

The Raptors yielded 42 points in the fourth quarter. They gave up 43 in the entire first half. For Chicago, the 42 points represented a season-high.